Run For The Wild In Bronx Zoo Aims To Save Elephants From Poaching

Participants run through Bronx Zoo during a past Run for the Wild. (credit: CBS 2)

Participants run through Bronx Zoo during a past Run for the Wild. (credit: CBS 2)

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — The Run for the Wild gives people an opportunity to stay fit while helping endangered animals.

The sixth-annual run will be held April 26 at the Bronx Zoo.

John Calvelli, executive vice president of public affairs for the Wildlife Conservation Society, called the run a “quintessential New York” experience, running through the world-famous zoo in the morning before it opens its gates to the public.

“What we’ve done is we’ve created this run. There’s an 8 a.m. run for the (serious) runners,” Calvelli told CBS 2’s Diane Macedo in an in-studio interview that aired Sunday.

“And then at 8:45, for those that are with family, those that are kind of a little bit slower — those more like me — we have a family fun run. And that is fantastic. You see kids, families, people getting dressed. … This year, we have people who are running in full elephant costumes.”

Proceeds from the event will go to the 96 Elephants Campaign.

“Last year, 35,000 elephants were killed in the wild,” Calvelli said. “That works out to 96 elephants a day, and one every 15 minutes.

“The bottom line is what’s happening right now is there’s a tremendous poaching crisis. And why people are purchasing elephants: their ivory. … Frankly, if you just go one block from right here, you can still buy ivory in New York.”

Calvelli added that ivory is being sold by organizations to fund terrorist activities.